Is cupid and psyche a romance, a folktale, a platonic allegory of the nature of the soul, a jungian tale of individuation, or an archetypal dream. Perhaps the greatest love story of all, cupid and psyche is unsurpassed in its richness and drama. Cupid s mother, the goddess venus, envious of the beauty of her sons beloved, despatched psyche into the underworld to fetch a vessel containing proserpinas beauty ointment, forbidding her to open it. Cupid and psyche is a story originally from metamorphoses also called the golden ass, written in the 2nd century ad by lucius apuleius madaurensis or platonicus. Cupid, however, falls in love with her himself and magically prevents anyone else from doing so. The story of cupid and psyche comes to us from the ancient roman novel metamorphoses by apuleius, which was written in the latter half of the second century ce. Find books like cupid and psyche from the worlds largest community of readers. Walter pater and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A picturebook retelling of the classic greek myth, in which cupid, the god of love and the son of venus, falls in love with a mortal princess named psyche.
Books similar to cupid and psyche goodreads share book. The fullest version of the tale is that told by the 2ndcenturyad latin author apuleius in his metamorphoses, books ivvi the golden ass. I think this book will appeal to readers of all ages. This is a good book to include with a unit on mythology. Craft, but was surprised to also find it well written and entertaining to read.
Soon after, in punishment for tempting psyche, cupid misled psyches sisters into believing he was seeking to marry them, in psyches place. Psyche traveled long distances, mourning and looking for her husband. Mythology cupid and psyche summary and analysis gradesaver. Jan 17, 2020 in part 1, we learn that men traveled from far and wide to admire the grace and beauty of psyche, an astonishingly attractive mortal woman. High, polite voice father, may i go fetch some water. Soon she falls in love with this man she has never seen, but in a moment of doubt she betrays his trust.
I actually had to go to the lourve in paris to see the statue myself. The young princess psyche is both surprised and aroused by the first kiss of cupid, who is invisible to her. Soul in classical mythology, princess of outstanding beauty who aroused venus jealousy and cupid s love. Juno too had to refuse her psyche then decided the only course left was to be humble and. Cupid and psyche by apuleius, free pdf, ebook global grey. It is a tale where humans and gods get hurt, where malice poisons their dreams, and where, through. Apollo convinces psyche s father to leave her at the top of a hill to be wed to a monster. The envious goddess venus sends her son cupid to punish the ravishing mortal psyche, but cupid falls in love with psyche and disobeys his mothers orders. Cupid and psyche has always been one of my very favorite love stories. Apuleius story of cupid and psyche, the relationship of the human soul with divine love, is one of the great allegories of world literature. The mythological tale of cupid and psyche is one of the few greek and roman myths that has not fully become assimilated into modern consciousness. Gerards painting was closely related to davids in its intellectualism, cool classicism, highly finished surfaces, and sculptural definition of. Cupid and psyche is a famous ancient grecoroman myth.
Cupid and psyche is a roman myth written in the 2nd century ce, based on similar, much older folktales from europe and asia. The poetic legend of cupid and psyche is told by the roman writer apuleius. Somehow, this beauty is admired by men but does not lead to the kind of love that eventuates in a marriage proposal. Men voyaged from all over the world in order to see her, attracted by her beauty.
I love you now, but i am alone so much and i miss my family. Cupid and psyche, an epic poem written by shakerley marmion. The love story of cupid and psyche, from the roman novel metamorphoses by lucius apuleius. The trials that psyche faces represent the hardships that all of us face in life. Cupid sneaks into psyche s bedroom to do his mothers bidding, but, when he sees how beautiful psyche is, he gets all distracted and pricks himself with his own arrow.
Psyche is the most beautiful woman in the world, yet the oracle at delphi foresees she will fall in love with a creature feared even by the gods themselves. Download and read online for free cupid and psyche by john jay chapman. Yet psyche chides the tears that fall, een in her shroud oermasters fear, wraps round her beauteous limbs the pall, and dauntless mounts the bridal bier. The charms of the two elder were more than common, but the beauty of the youngest was so wonderful that the poverty of language is unable to express its due praise. This volume provides joel relihans lively translation of this best known section of apuleius golden ass, some useful and illustrative parallels, and an engaging discussion of what to make of this classic story. How is the story of cupid and psyche important in our daily lives.
The great greek goddess of love and beauty, aphrodite or venus in latin, was born from the foam near the island of cyprus, for which reason she is referred to as the cyprian. The marriage of cupid and psyche the story as first set down by lucius apuleius in his transformations which is called the golden ass and then retold by walter pater in the pages of his novel, marius the epicurean by apuleius, lucius. I would focus on the moral mentioned in the middle of the. Jun 24, 2017 the most pleasant and delectable tale of the marriage of cupid and psyche, an 1887 reprint of william adlingtons translation with a foreword by andrew lang. The great love story of cupid and psyche thoughtco. Psyche s quest to win back cupid s love when it is lost to her first appears in the golden ass of lucius apuleius in the 2nd century ad.
The tale of cupid and psyche or eros and psyche is placed at the midpoint of apuleiuss novel, and occupies about a fifth of its total length. The account of cupid and psyche is presented in his novel the golden ass also titled the metamorphoses, or metamorphosis as an old wives tale told by an old woman to comfort a young woman who has been abducted by a band of robbers and is being held for ransome. The tale of cupid and psyche is inserted in apuleius metamorphoses, or the golden ass, a novel written around 150 ad. The new york times complimented her first book, cupid and psyche, for its clear, simple text and noted that the book a excels in conveying the mythology. Set on a modernish mount olympus where gods participate in such daily activities as wet toga contests, fawn tossing and centaur races, this is a comic, musical tale of forbidden love, with venus, the goddess of beauty and love as the story teller. I only want books added if the cupid is the god cupid, not just a cupid which are often written in a similar way as matchmakers. The story is part of africanus comic novel the golden ass. The golden ass books 67 summary and analysis gradesaver. And these legendary lovers have inspired forty lush luminous paintings by award winning artist kinuko craft.
The story of cupid and psyche is part of the golden ass or metamorphoses, a latin novel by apuleius second century a. The text is a bit thick but the story is engrossing. It is both a charming fairytale and an allegory of the search of the soul for happiness and fulfillment. Figuratively, love cupid and the soul psyche is the greek word for the soul belong together in an inseparable union. The work, painted in 1798 by gerard, a former pupil of david. Once upon a time, a king had three daughters and one of which, psyche, appeared the fairest maiden of the whole world. Crafts first book is a retelling of the famous story of psyche, who is so beautiful that venus, the goddess of beauty, is jealous. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The text flows smoothly and retains a touch of formality, giving the story a. Each night when he comes to her in bed, shes supposed to entertain him and then go to sleep without. I knew a tiny bit about the cupid and psyche myth when i began reading this version. She sends her son, cupid, to punish the mortal, but he falls in love with her. Though the story is about their union, the book unfolds as a fairy tale, skirting over the details of love so that its appropriate for even the smallest children. Psyche, pleasantly reclining in that grassy place on a bed of dewwet grass, free of her mental perturbation, fell peacefully asleep, and when she was sufficiently refreshed by slumber, rose, feeling calm.
Jun 24, 2015 with this, cupid flew off, leaving psyche helpless and heartbroken at the loss of her husband. The golden ass books 45 summary and analysis gradesaver. The story of cupid and psyche is part of the golden ass or metamo. Lavishly illustrated and thrillingly told, here is a book. I only want books added if the cupid is the god cupid, not just a cupid which are often written. The myth of cupid and psyche was told by apuleius a roman writer who lived in 125170 ac, in his book metamorphoses or the golden ass, thats why the name of the characters are latin when in fact they should have been eros and psyche. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of cupid and psyche by apuleius. Olympus, the home of the gods, and gives her some ambrosia, which makes the girl immortal.
Home book 5, chpt 6 chpt 7 chpt 8 chpt 9 chpt 10 chpt 11 chpt 12 the love story of cupid and psyche from the roman novel metamorphoses by lucius apuleius student edition. Although the characters of cupid and psyche can be found in greek art as early as the 4 th century bc, the earliest written record of this story was written by apuleius in the 2 nd century ad. Immediately download the cupid and psyche summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching cupid and psyche. Psyche promises her new husband, cupid eros, that shell never try to see what he looks like. The myth of cupid and psyche the story of cupid and psyche comes to us from the ancient roman novel metamorphoses by apuleius, which was written in the latter half of the second century ce. This is a delightful book based on the myth of cupid and psyche. While absorbing enough on its own, it is largely seen as a way to think about what happened to lucius.
Other articles where cupid and psyche is discussed. When psyche tries to see him, against his command, he kills her sisters, who had encouraged her action. Nestled in the tiny 40seat john houseman studio, a new musical of mythical proportions called cupid and psyche, is lighting up the stage. The myth of cupid and psyche brendan pelsue youtube. Just like in pegasus, the story of cupid and psyche retells the myth of the two lovers in a very accessible manner, which makes it ideal for young children and anyone else who is unfamiliar with greek mythology. Psyche is a princess so beautiful that the goddess venus becomes jealous. E he was an african, an excellent follower of plato his sect, born in madaura, a countrey sometime inhabited by the romans, and under the jurisdiction of syphax, scituate and lying on the borders of numidia and getulia, whereby he called himself half a numidian and half a getulian. Cupid and psyche is a story from the latin novel metamorphoses, also known as the golden ass, written in the 2nd century ad by apuleius. Coventry patmore expressing the opinion that bridges version would become the standard form of apuleius myth. One night psyche pleaded, please let my sisters come.
When curiosity overcomes her, she discovers who he really is, only to be cruelly abandoned. Cupid and psyche, a tale from bulfinchs the age of fable. Bridges eros and psyche retells the eros cupid and psyche myth first recorded by lucius apuleius in his book the golden ass. Theoi a great source for all things related to grecoroman mythology. Cupid falls instantly in love with psyche and leaves without doing what his mother told him to do. She then came to juno, and asked her, as protectors of pregnant women, for help. Cupid and psyche by friedrich paul thumann, 18341908 psyche is often seen with butterflies and butterfly wings.
The whole novel is well worth readinga combination of wild humor, painful pictures of ancient life, a quest for wisdom apuleius wrote about socrates and was a late disciple of plato, all in a. Cupid sneaks into psyches bedroom to do his mothers bidding, but, when he sees how beautiful psyche is, he gets all distracted and pricks himself with his own arrow. Though probably part of an older greek oral tradition, the popular european story of a beauty marrying a beast, discovering his inner beauty, losing him for lack of trust or by thoughtlessness, and regaining him through a long and arduous quest, had its first literary appearance in the latin novel. I bought the book because of the beautiful paintings by k.
It concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between psyche soul or breath of life and cupid desire, and their ultimate union in a sacred marriage. A brief reading quiz to prep you for the real quiz. The mysterious man relented, well, if you must you may let them come. This story had haunted lewis all his life, because he realized that some of the main characters actions were illogical. The book was a wonderful read and a great retelling of the story. Understanding feminine psychology, published in 1976 by harpercollinspublishers. However, zephyr, the west wind, carries the waiting psyche to a majestic palace where she bathes and feasts royally, attended by mysterious voices. Also, another beautifully illustrated book by craft. Jan 25, 20 cupid and psyche also amor or eros and psyche is old greek myth, first written by apuleius in second century, although the story is probably much older at least sculptures are. To win back his love, psyche must show that she is as brave as she is beautiful by performing three impossible tasks. In revenge, she instructs her son cupid to make her fall in love with a hideous monster. Books featuring the mythological god eros greek or cupid roman. A list of books that retell the cupid psyche myth score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Magically, psyche finds herself in a magnificent castle fitted with sweet music, attentive servants, and a charming but invisible host.
In addition to cupid and psyche, she is also the illustrator of marianna mayers pegasus, baba yaga and vasilisa the brave, and the twelve dancing princesses. On that note, the story of cupid and psyche is often seen as an allegory for every human beings struggle for love and happiness. The word for butterfly in formal greek is psyche, thought to be the soul of the dead. In despair over the fact that his daughter did not fall in. Cupid and psyche by john jay chapman at the best online ebook storage. Cupid and psyche wikisource, the free online library. It is a retelling of cupid and psyche, based on its telling in a chapter of the golden ass of apuleius. She encountered ceres and asked for help, but that goddess would not risk incurring the wrath of venus. The tale concerns the overcoming of obstacles to the love between psyche. When cupid sees psyche, the soul in its beauty, he immediately wants to join with her. Psyche is the most beautiful woman in the world, yet the oracle at. A beautiful princess has a husband she can never see.
This is the story of how cupid and psyche became married. Its precise and eloquently translated and has a gorgeous cover. Cupid and psyche european greek story the wheel council. The antique myth depicted here is a love story but also a metaphysical allegory. I find this myth interesting because we can recognize patterns of at least two popular fairy tales in it. Cupid and psyche end up having a daughter together, named voluptas a. The tale involves the love relationship between a mortal and a god, and it is a rarity in classical literature, in that it has a happy ending. It has a lot of ups and downs and is definitely meant for an older, advanced reader. When psyche fails to trust that love, she must perform seemingly impossible tasks to win cupid back.
Small and compact it tells the beautiful story of the love of a mortal and a god. The tale of cupid and psyche 79 speculations of any later platonist, not even of those contemporary with the african polymath. For soon the melancholy train must leave the sad devoted fair. Sep 22, 2010 psyche and the mysterious stranger started their life together and psyche began to love her life, although she missed her family. Psyche s name was not mentioned explicitly before apuleius, but the component of the story where cupid falls in love with a maiden can be seen in hellenistic statuary and in platos works. The novel itself is a firstperson narrative by the protagonist lucius. Psyche s struggle to be worthy of her godly lover, cupid, is used as a metaphor for luciuss struggle for the divine. Cupid and psyche is a story originally from metamorphoses written in the 2nd century ad by. In keeping with what ive written elsewhere, i believe that here, just as with interpretation of old testament stories, its better to rely on the instincts and. It is regarded as a masterpiece of neoclassical sculpture, but shows the mythological lovers. The myth of cupid and psyche the story of cupid and psyche is featured in the book entitled old greek folk stories by josephine preston peabody, published in 1907 by houghton mifflin company, new york. Except for the myth adaptions which may have differences, please make sure the cupid in the book is the cupid and not a cupid. When psyche is told that she will marry a creature feared by the gods themselves she is terrified, but soon discovers that her invisible bridegroom is gentle and loving, and she spends her days in contentment.